2011: Chelsea signed Fernando Torres from Liverpool for a British record transfer fee of £50million, while the Reds completed the signings of Andy Carroll from Newcastle for a club-record £35million and Luis Suarez from Ajax for £22.8million.

2005: Tottenham bought Nottingham Forest duo Michael Dawson and Andy Reid for a combined fee of £8million. Manchester City striker Nicolas Anelka moved to Turkish club Fenerbahce while Celtic signed Newcastle outcast Craig Bellamy on loan.

1999: England manager Glenn Hoddle was called in by the Football Association to explain his comments about people with disabilities after he was quoted in The Times as saying: ‘’Some people have been born like that for a reason. What you sow you have to reap.’’ He was sacked two days later.